The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-08
II

sped on through the strong, sitting atmos-
phere OF Its dark, subterranean way Fit scene
for what had been done, II scene could be n
for such deed Portland Road and Baker
Street were passed. and still no one broke or
looked in upon the solitude OF the dead man
At Edgware Road, however, q lady entered
the compartment The next moment there
was scream, and rush OF officials 10 the
spot. The lady, half-faIntlng, was helped on.
TO the platform; station master, inspectors,
and police were called and messages were dis
patched along the line TO temporarily suspend
the traffic. II was all done In very few min
utes. The body after rapid but keen survey
OF its position and surroundings, was carefully
removed, and the news flew like wildfre that
what was evidently ghastly suicide had been
discovered on the underground railway Then
the carriage-door was locked, and the passen-
gers were briefly Intercepted without, how
ever any light being thrown on the case.
Their names and addresses were taken as a
precautionary measure. Among them there
was but one frst-class traveller, tall man,
who directly the excitement arose, emergered
from n compartment three removed from that
| in which the tragedy had been enacted Prob
ably It was the fact of his being passenger
In the same class as the deceased that brought
upon him closer examination at the hands
of police sergeant than the others had been
subjected to.
Where had he entered the trainl
At Baker-st.; there was his ticket from that
station TO Noting Hill Gate clipped in the
usual way.
Had he seen or heard anything unusuali
Nothing whatever.
Would he oblige with his name and ad.
dress.
Certainly. There was his card; Mr. Jules
Merlin, Chepstow Villas, w.
This on the sergeants part was all for tnv
sake of doing something. He was perfectly
satisfied in his mind that the case in hand was
one OF determined suicide; still caution and
diligence even II aimless, looked well, and
were regarded as praiseworthy even If profit.
less at headquarters II was to the persistent
application OF commonplace abilities that he
owed his promotion from the ranks. On this
occasion he even went so far as to take down
description of Mr.. Merlin; thus-face, mar
row. good-looking, clean-shaven, and dark
Hair also dark. Age about forty. Figure,
tall, thin, straight, and strengthening
Clothes, check trousers, dark overcoat with
velvet collar, brown kid gloves, silk handker-
chief, low hard felt black hat and umbrella
very wet Mr. Merlin having borne the SER
geant's inquisiton with patient amiabiiity
looked again at the body and said, Poor dew
II he must have been out of his mind Then
he re-entered the train as II started again on
its way
The dead mans identity was very quickly
established Letters we're found upon him adj
dressed to David Cowen, Esq, with the name
of a house and street at Kensington, and his
card bore the same name and address. The
discovery Of valuable jewelry nd fairly large
sum Of money went toward confirming the po-
lice in their theory OF suicide The body was
conveyed to the morgue, where, within, two
hours 1t was visited by woman, tall and
beautiful, but with wild terror-flled eyes, and
face as pale as the quiet dead.
Yes II was her husband, the body they
showed her She had been waiting dinner for
him. he being later than she expeced; but she
had felt no fear until the messenger came,
and now she knew that he had been murdered.
So she said and the men were silent before
the terrible calmuess of her grief and despair
- = %
Suicide A clear case, Temporary insanl.
ty Murder impossible on the Underground
Railway
So the murderer had said so the police said,
and so also said the public. This general YER
dict was gratifying TO all three. But it was
doomed TO be disturbed, II not utterly shaken.
At the coroners inquest a clerk OF the Far
rington Street Station came forward and spoke
of the bearded man, who on the night In ques
ton as nearly as possible at half-past seven,
had taken a lrst-class ticket for Cover Street
He remembered the circumstance perfectly,
because the gentleman had forgotten his UNI
brela, which was dry and furled and which
he, the witness, had called him back ~ &c.
ceve. The ticket collector at Grower Street
did not remember person OF that description
Chow could he remember every one who pass.
ed through the gatesD but frst-class ticket
from Farrngdon had been collected at thai
time.
The evidence of the doctor who examinet
the body was still more disturbing TO the pop
ular theory. DIR. Ford was man In the print
Of life, and widower. He possessed a con
siderable practice was practical, hard-headed
and, like all practical men, somewhat obsti
nate, and he had the reputation Of being keeI
and clever. When, therefore, he stood up IL
the witness-box and gave II as his positive
conviction that the fatal wound in the dead
mans breast could not possibly be self-inilct
ed, he inspired some belief, at least in thu
minds Of people who knew him we'll The cor
oner, sceptcal but courteous, asked wha'
grounds the witness had for his opinion.
Il compared the deceased's arm with tn
depth of the wound, replied the doctor, and
found that HIS strength could not have beer
sufficient 10 drive the knife so far 1t should